Understanding
by Dooely
Summary: What can happen when you merge Minds. Snarry, HP/SS.


_This is the first story im publishing. _

_Please be nice, english is not my first language an I don't have a Beta. So if you find a mistake tell me and I will be happy to correct it._

Severus Snape was sighing. A dammed lesson of Occlumency with Harry bloody Potter. To work with the son of his old Enemy, the one who stole the friendship of Lily, his sister in heart. And he was as arrogant as his father. Breaking rules how he pleased. He sighted again. Better prepare himself. This would be long evening.

Harry knocked at the door of the potions classroom. He knew he needed to learn of how to shield his mind. He did not want Voldemort in his head. He didn't even want to be in the head of this bastard! But Snape. Why in Merlin's name had it to be Snape. He sighed. Then he heard the muffled "Enter." That he did. He walked to the desk of his potion professor and waited. He knew better as to speak first. A few seconds later Snape looked up at him and said: "On time for Once. Lets begin." He told Harry to stand a few feet before him.

"Close your mind. Think of nothing. I will try to look into your mind and you have to try to block me. Or, when, not if, I manage to break trough, you try to kick me out. Understood?" Harry inclined his head. He was not sure but he would try his best nonetheless. He tried to clear his mind, to think of nothing. Then he heard his Professor say "Legillimens" and he felt a sting against his mind. He concentrated to hold it back but after just a few seconds he lost.

Snape was impressed. Not that he would tell the Boy, but he managed to block him. Just a few seconds but for the first try it was not bad. Then he concentrated on the memories he saw. It was the perfect opportunity to find blackmail or humiliating material. First he saw nothing of importance. Harry flying. Talking with his friends. Studying with Ron and Hermione, the rest of the Golden Trio. Then he felt resistance. The memories circled faster and faster. He became dizzy and his concentration broke. He was again in his classroom and looked at Potter who had a shell-shocked look on his face. Again he found himself impressed. He hadn't thought that the Boy could kick him out so fast.

"You where in my head!"

"Yes Potter, this lessons are to teach you how to keep people out. Again." Harry braced himself.

"Legillimence" This time he needed a little more force to break trough Harry's shields. Then he concentrated on the memories before him. but again he was thrown out faster as would have liked. He looked at Potter and saw that the Boy was breathing hard. Not surprising, at first Occlumency took a lot of energy from someone. "Again, Legillimence."

Over and over he invaded Potters mind. His resistance first getting stronger but after an hour Harry was getting tired. Finally Snape had the opportunity to see more of Harry's memories. Harry looked no older than 4. He was standing at the Stove in a absolutely horrible muggel kitchen. He was looking half starved, his clothes where much to big and well worn. The child stood on top of an old wobbly chair. He was making scrambled eggs. Then a ugly horse-faced woman came in an shouted at the young Harry. "What is taking so long freak. Vernon will be down in a few minutes. If the eggs are not done you will be sorry. " A small voice was answering. "Yes Aunt Petunia." And the boy was working faster. Then a big red-faced man came in and bellowed. "Where are my eggs, I'm hungry. "They are nearly done Uncle Vernon." Harry answered. "That's not good enough Freak." Vernon was grabbing the Pan out of Harry's grip. "Look that you are faster tomorrow!" "Yes Uncle Vernon." The fat man began eating the eggs and the little Boy was beginning to clean the dishes when a pig of another Boy was walking up behind Harry and gave him a shove. "Get out of my Way freak!" "Yes Cousin Dudley." Harry didn't even look up. Then one leg of the Old chair broke an Harry was falling, taking the plate with him which he was towelling. He fell hard on the floor, the plate flying out of his hands and shattering into a million pieces.

"Look what you did, you good for nothing freak!" Vernon was grabbing Harry hard on his arm and was dragging him into the corridor. "You will stay inside till tomorrow and you won't get anything to eat." then the little boy was shoved into the cupboard under the Stairs, the door was shut and locked from outside.

Snape was shocked. He looked to Potter. The Boy was standing there. Furious, his jaw clenched, his eyes sparkling of anger. But under the anger there was Pain. Snape did not know what to say. After a few minutes he could only whisper. "Dismissed." Harry left.

The next day Harry sat gloomily at the Griffindor table and nibbled on a piece of toast. Hermione was reading a book and Ron was shovelling vast amounts of food into his mound. After he finished his second plate he looked at Harry and asked. "What's wrong Mate." Harry only said "Potions" Ron nodded sympathetically . But of course that was not all there was. Harry dreaded what Snape would make out of the memory he saw. He would die of humiliation if the other knew how his guardians where treating him. Then Hermione said. "We have to go or we will be late!" Harry hurried up. There was no point in making Snape more angry than he normally was.

The pupils where all sitting at their places when Snape walked in with a billow of his robe and a loud thump of the door. He was telling them which potion they were brewing today. They hurriedly got the ingrediants and began with their work. Harry waited for his moment of total humiliation but it never came. Snape ignored him the whole time. At the end of potions he heard Snape "Potter, stay behind."

When they were alone Snape looked sternly but otherwise unreadable at Harry. "I will tell nobody of the memories I see. The next lessen is tomorrow at 7 pm. Do not be late. Go now." Harry could not believe what he was hearing. Snape would keep it to himself? He nodded and tried to look not to relieved and went onto his next class.

At Supper Harry and his Friends were sitting at their usual place at the Griffindor Table. Ron was telling Stories from the Twins escapades in Summer and whatever Muggle-Device his Father had charmed. Hermione was laughing outright while Harry was simply smiling. Not that he didn't find the stories funny. But because since a long time he never really felt like laughing. What he did not notices was that Snape was looking at him more than before. Noticing the lack of laughing, the small helping he put onto his plate, the thoughtful expression which he always got when nobody was talking to him.

The next evening precisely at 7 pm. Snape heard a small knock on the Door.

"Come in." It was Harry.

"Good evening Sir." Harry was hesitantly walking to Snape but without making eye-contact.

"Are you ready?" Harry nodded and braced himself.

"Legillimence!"

Snape had to push much harder this time. When he was finally inside he saw only a few glimpses of Memory before he, again like the last time, was forced out again.

"Again!" he said harshly. After an hour of this Harry became weak again. With a last struggle he kicked his Potions Master out and collapsed fast breathing on the floor.

"Enough for today." he heard Snape say calmly. Harry raised and nodded. He was still not locking directly at Snape "Can I go?" After a few moments Snape answered:

"Yes, you MAY go" Harry walked to the door and opened it. With his back to Snape he paused.

"Professor, thank you." he said silently and closed the Door behind him. Missing the odd look on the older man's face.

So it went for a few weeks. Harry's control was getting better and better. Snape never praised Harry, but also never said a word to mock his student, so Harry knew he did al right. Strangely Harry became more and more at ease when he was working alone with Snape. The man was nearly civil towards him, of course it was another Story when in Class. Snape was as nasty as ever, deducing Points, scolding him and so on. Business as usual. But when they where working alone on Harry's Occlumency Snape didn't frown so much, he was never berating Harry for getting weak or tired.

At one evening, it was close to Halloween, Harry was feeling ill. He had a slight headache, his stomach was upset and he thought he was getting a fever. But He felt not bad enough to go see Poppy, who allowed to call him that because they saw each other more then she saw every other Student. So he knocked at nearly seven o clock on the Door to the Potions Masters Classroom. "Enter."

Snape attacked the young man as soon as he closed the Door behind him. Strangely this time he felt no block whatsoever. Not even as much as by his first try. Harry's mind was wide open. The thoughts where twirling slowly around and he felt only a slight resistance. He drove back an looked at Harry. "What is wrong with you?" he asked angrily "Nothing is wrong Professor, I wasn't prepared. I'm Sorry" Harry would not give up because he was feeling slightly ill. Voldemort would not care. He braced himself an nodded his readiness. But as soon as he felt the sting he lost all his resistance again an Snape breached through. He felt light-headed and had the impression that his body was falling down. He had nothing to grab onto physically so his mind grabbed the presence inside his head and tried to steady himself. Snape felt the grip on his conciousness and tried to back out but Harry was clinging to strong and he felt himself falling uncouncies at the same time as his protege.

As Snape woke he opened his eyes, believing he would be on the floor in the Potions classroom, or in the Hospital wind. But he only saw grey. It was as if he was standing in the middle of the thickest fog. He turned around but there was nothing else. He considered his options. Before he could reach a conclusion he heard a faint noise. He concentrated on the sound and soon realised that it was a string of whispered words: "No no no no no." cautiously he drew nearer to the source when he saw something emerge from the mist. After a few moments he registered the human form, sitting on the floor, Arms wrapped around his knees and rocking slightly back an forth. murmuring No. It was Potter. Snape would recognise the black mob of hair everywhere.

"Potter, what is going on here?" he asked bemused. Harry wasn't showing any signs that he heard the Professor. "Potter are you listening?" Still the young wizard did not change his movements. Snape had enough. He grab Harry by his shoulder and shock him. "Talk to me, Boy" he growled. That did it. But not as Snape was hoping. Harry flung himself to the floor and made his Body as small as possible

"I'm Sorry Uncle Vernon, I didn't want to break the Glass. Please don't hurt me again. I be a good Boy I promise!" Snape was dumbstruck. He had seen things in Harry's memory of the way his Uncle treated him. But nothing which could have cause such a violent reaction.

"Potter I am not your Uncle" Snape snapped. He had to get Harry to respond. He gathered that they were inside Harry's head. He remembered the feeling of Harry's Mind grabbing onto his.


End file.
